Nebraska

Name: Gering, Scottsbluff, and Terrytown
Brand: North Platte Valley Museum
SKU: 9780738560748
Price: 17.49 USD
Availability: InStock

Read up on the staunch souls who established Nebraska’s agricultural tradition to gain a new respect for the chosen mascot of Cornhusker football. Our Nebraska history books provide a fresh perspective on familiar places, from an exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium to a menu at a bygone Lincoln eatery. Attend to the untold stories of Nebraska POW camps and the daily routine of a roughhewn Washington County cabin. Take a whistle-stop tour of Nebraska history from Omaha to Scottsbluff.

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Gering, Scottsbluff, and Terrytown

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

North Platte

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Kearney

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Boys Town

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Alliance, Nebraska

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Bellevue

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Colfax County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Crete

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Norfolk, Nebraska

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Antelope County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Papillion

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Butler County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Nebraska City

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Grand Island

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Grand Island and Hall County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Washington County

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Hastings

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Mari Sandoz's Native Nebraska

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Stanton County

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Kearney's World Theatre

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Chadron

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Gering, Scottsbluff, and Terrytown

9780738560748

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The twin cities of Gering and Scottsbluff are located in the west Nebraska panhandle, just a stone's throw from the Wyoming border and separated by the North Platte River. Gering was established three miles south of the river in 1887 and became a thriving center of commerce. Gering founders gambled that the Union Pacific Railroad would build its track through town, but it was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad that arrived first and laid track on the north side of the river in 1900, prompting rapid growth in Scottsbluff. Some Gering residents moved their homes and businesses to the newer community, but others remained steadfast in their belief that the Union Pacific would soon arrive. The Union Pacific track did not reach Gering until 1911, giving Scottsbluff the advantage of years of railroad-spurred growth. Fast-forward to 1948, when latecomer Terrytown was incorporated on the south bank of the river, sandwiched between the two older, larger cities. United by a bridge and undistinguishable municipal boundaries, the three cities retain their separate identities.

North Platte

9780738519883

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Situated at the junction of the North Platte and South Platte rivers, North Platte has a long history as an important stopping point in the westward migration of from the days of the California gold rush to the building of the transcontinental railroad and beyond. The Oregon Trail to the gold rush followed the South Platte River, and the Mormon Trail followed the North Platte River. In 1866 the building of the Union Pacific railroad stopped at North Platte for the winter. The railroad brought the town of North Platte to life. In 1869 the Union Pacific built a huge depot and hotel which stood until destroyed by fire in 1915. It entertained many famous visitors including William F. Cody, George Armstrong Custer, Bat Masterson, and Teddy Roosevelt. Since the 1920s North Platte has grown considerably, helped by the transcontinental Lincoln Highway which still runs through town. North Platte also had the first lighted runway in the United States, used for the air mail planes of the 1920s.

Kearney

9780738541280

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Kearney is situated in the Platte River valley in south-central Nebraska. The Platte River has always been an important route across the Great Plains. Native American tribes such as the Pawnee followed the river to their western hunting grounds. Soldiers at nearby Fort Kearny guarded the Oregon and Mormon Trails while the Pony Express skirted through the county. The Union Pacific Railroad pushed through the region in 1866, and when the Burlington Railroad reached the area in 1871, Kearney (originally Kearney Junction) was born. By the early 1900s, the automobile began to make its mark. The Lincoln Highway, the nation's first paved transcontinental highway, traveled through the heart of town. Today Kearney sits on Interstate 80, and the Archway Monument, a museum that celebrates the region's transportation history, spans the thoroughfare.

Boys Town

9780738508276

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Boys Town: The Constant Spirit maps the remarkable journey of a tiny youth refuge, Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, from its humble beginnings in December 1917 to its role as a leading national force in youth care by the end of the century. Compiling over 200 photographs from the Boys Town archives, author James R. Ivey recreates the history of the ideas, successes, and triumphs of Father Flanagan and his boys.

In 1917, Father Edward J. Flanagan, a Roman Catholic priest and Irish immigrant, borrowed $90 from a friend to open a home for wayward boys in downtown Omaha. The first five boys he took off the streets moved in just after Thanksgiving of that year, and a legacy was born. Featured here in vintage photographs are the first house at 25th and Dodge Streets, the move to the spacious Overlook Farm, the road to Hollywood, and Father Flanagan's rarely noted assistance to Japanese Americans during World War II.

Alliance, Nebraska

9780738508313

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Once heralded as the "Queen City of the Plains,"
Alliance, Nebraska originated as a simple railroad
junction called Grand Lake. Founded on true pioneer
spirit in 1887, Alliance has grown from a farm and ranch
community into a major retail center for Box Butte County.
The Knight Museum showcases over 200 images in this new
book, depicting the history and growth of Alliance during its
113-year history.
Although there are many anonymous threads that make
up the social fabric of Alliance, readers will recognize the
more familiar faces of the Newberry family, Dr. Frank Knight,
Miss Susan Frazier, and Miss Katherine Schill. While some
landmarks are gone forever, such as the depot and the Coors
Building, many timeless photographs remain to guide the
reader down the main street of Alliance's rich history. From
the vintage image of the county courthouse to the beauty
of western Nebraska's largest park system, readers will get a
glimpse of the pioneering spirit that is still so abundant.

Bellevue

9780738576510

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Bellevue received its French name, meaning "beautiful view," from fur trader Manuel Lisa as he stood high atop a hill, looking out at the scenic Missouri River Valley before him, or so the legend goes. Two hundred years after Lisa's proclamation, Bellevue has grown to become a sprawling metropolis proudly recognized as the third largest city in Nebraska. However, the story could have ended long before this. Bellevue was originally supposed to serve as an important railroad thoroughfare and as the first capital of the Nebraska Territory. Neither of these ultimately happened. Yet, Bellevue has persevered onwards and upwards. From its origins as little more than a trading post for westward travelers and Native Americans, to serving as the headquarters for the former Strategic Air Command at the onset of the modern jet age, Bellevue has taken a remarkable journey.

Colfax County

9781467111966

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Colfax County is unique with having two towns within its boundaries, Schuyler and Clarkson, plus four villages: Leigh, Howells, Richland, and Rogers. A number of farm precincts were once bustling communities, including Dublin, Heun, Maple Creek, Midland, Shell Creek, Tabor, and Wilson; now, most have only a church and/or cemetery to denote their sites. Schuyler is the county seat and can boast of having the first electric plant, water plant, and telephone exchange in the state. The Morman Trail, Oregon Trail, and Military Trail followed the banks of the Platte River and were utilized by troops and immigrants. Cattle herds from the Chisholm Trail were shipped from the Schuyler rail yards to markets in the East.

Crete

9780738593920

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Late-19th-century publications regularly promoted Nebraska's young cities and towns, and Crete was no exception. Settled by homesteaders, merchants, railroaders, and New Englanders associated with Doane College, Crete began as an agricultural trade center, but it soon possessed the refinements of gentility and city culture. One 1890s booklet described the 20-year-old town, with a population of 3,000, as a modern, cosmopolitan, progressive city--traits that few places of similar size in the West could claim. A newspaper article exclaimed, "No city in the West has attracted more attention among Easterners than Crete" and that no other city had a more promising future. Another article called Crete "the gem of the Blue River valley." Situated 25 miles from Nebraska's capital city of Lincoln, Crete already had electricity, running water, a college, churches, a library, and numerous businesses and industries by the late 19th century. The photographs within provide a glimpse into the past life of a town that has continued to evolve and thrive.

Norfolk, Nebraska

9780738507767

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Founded in 1866 by German immigrants, Norfolk, Nebraska grew up along the banks of the North Fork of the Elkhorn River. The original 250 settlers founded Madison County's first church and school, and from these humble beginnings grew a town that today is the jewel in the crown of northeast Nebraska and the state's third largest retail area. Showcasing over 200 images, Sheryl Schmeckpeper traces the history of this community from its roots as a Native American campground, to a sleepy farming community, and finally to a bustling city. Although there are many anonymous people pictured here who contributed to the Norfolk of today, readers will
recognize the more familiar faces of Herman Gereke,
Dr. "Diamond Dick" Tanner, and Johnny Carson. Vividly
captured are the landmarks that are gone forever, such as the Granada Theater, the Sugar City Cereal Mill, and the old high school that burned down in 1907. Also included are never before published photographs of the flood of 1944, the blizzard of 1948, and the Chicago Lumber Company fire.

Antelope County

9780738598871

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Named for the frisky and elusive animals that bounded across the prairie, Antelope County is located in the center of Nebraska's northeast corner. The county's gently rolling slopes are bisected by the Elkhorn River Valley. The first people traveling through the area were fur traders and Pawnee, Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe Indians. After passage of the Homestead Act in 1862 and the end of the Civil War in 1865, the lure of starting a new life on unclaimed land in the West brought settlers to the valley. When immigrants from New England, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois rode the ferry across the Missouri River, they were advised to travel farther west to the fertile soil of the Elkhorn Valley. After Antelope County was founded in 1871, railroads promoted the establishment of Oakdale, Neligh, Tilden, Clearwater, Elgin, Orchard, Brunswick, and Royal. The settlers engaged in farming and related agricultural activities.

Papillion

9780738576527

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Papillion's name is derived from French fur traders who ventured near the valley of the Papio Creek as early as 1739. The butterfly-filled meadow was so beautiful that one of the men is said to have exclaimed in his native tongue, "Papillon!" (meaning "butterfly"). The land would later come to be known as Papillion. Native Americans roamed freely across the local prairie until 1857, when John L. Beadle obtained a land grant and platted a town. Successful negotiations with the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific Railroads ensured the growth and prosperity needed for the Papillion Town Company to incorporate in 1870. Businesses soon lined the center of the village as German immigrants cultivated the land. New schools and churches enhanced the establishment of the booming community, which became the seat of Sarpy County. The pioneers persevered through fire, pestilence, and flood to establish Papillion, a town destined to survive.

Butler County

9780738560519

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Harvey L. Boston opened the Boston Studio in downtown David City in 1893. For about the next 35 years, Boston personally recorded the people and places of Butler County using photography. Boston had an eye for detail, and through his photographs, one is able to inspect and appreciate the clothing of the early years of the 20th century: from everyday styles to formal and special occasion costumes. The Boston Studio was opened toward the end of what was known as the Victorian era, a time when how a woman and members of her family dressed was a reflection of the family's prosperity. This attention to detail is very evident in the photographs taken by Boston. The various fashions worn by Butler County residents provide a wealth of information about a person's life, even when information about that person is not otherwise known. While once almost lost to history, the Boston Studio Collection of approximately 60,000 negatives has now been preserved and is available for the public to again appreciate for its historic value. The more than 200 Boston photographs carefully selected for this book demonstrate what life was like in Butler County between 1900 and 1920 and feature a cross-sampling of the people, both well known and anonymous, who were responsible for influencing the early history of Butler County.

Nebraska City

9781467114493

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When Lewis and Clark pulled their way up the Missouri River in the summer of 1804, their journals reported an area of boundless prairie and beautiful streams on the river's west bank. Fifty years later, the community of Nebraska City was born on that very spot. For many decades, the community served as a jumping-off point for travelers bound farther westward as thousands of wagon trains departed every year. By the late 1800s, the city became known for another reason: the home of Arbor Day. First introduced by Nebraska City resident J. Sterling Morton in 1872, Arbor Day became Nebraska's holiday and is now celebrated worldwide. The 1900s saw a decline in the transportation industry but a rise in manufacturing and the growing and canning of produce. Today, historical tourism makes up the economic lifeblood of this small but thriving community.

Grand Island

9780738560571

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During the early 20th century, Grand Island was a unique and diverse community. No one captured this better than Julius Leschinsky. As Grand Island's premier photographer from the 1880s to the 1930s, Leschinsky immortalized a time of great change and growth in American culture. Through the compelling images of the Lumbard-Leschinsky Studio Collection, witness how Grand Island grew from a railroad town to an economic and cultural hub in central Nebraska. Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer has selected some of Leschinsky's best work to share a rare and detailed look into nearly every facet of life in Grand Island from 1910 to 1918. Many of these remarkable images have never been published and have not been seen for nearly 100 years.

Grand Island and Hall County

9780738541440

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Grand Island and Hall County, settled by German immigrants in 1857, benefited from the diversification that the railroad and western immigrants brought to central Nebraska. Their stories, captured in these images, are the stories of the heart and soul of America. Located in the Platte River valley, Grand Island and Hall County have long served as a gateway to the West. Thousands of western immigrants traveling the California-Overland and Mormon Trails purchased their supplies from the many road ranches scattered across Hall County. The Union Pacific Railroad arrived in Grand Island on July 8, 1866, and brought with it growth and prosperity. Grand Island swiftly evolved from a prairie town to a railroad city. From the sugar beet factory to the world's second-largest horse and mule market, business and industry flourished, and the people of Hall County reaped the benefits.

Washington County

9781467126281

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The area that would become Washington County was first settled by the explorers, trappers, and fur traders who traveled by steamboat along the Missouri River to an area inhabited by the Otoe, Missouri, and Omaha Indians. These settlers were pioneers of German, English, Danish, and Irish ancestry who migrated west in search of a better life. They came by steamboat, flatboat ferry, the occasional canoe, on horseback, in wagon teams, and sometimes by foot, venturing into the vast great plains of the frontier. They staked their claims, built sod and hewn-log homes, and traveled on the first post roads using old Indian trails. From the timberland along the river, they pushed westward into the lush rolling hills of red top, timothy, clover, and prairie grasses and tilled the virgin soil to build their futures. It would be another 15 years before the railroad broke ground. These brave men and women journeyed westward, traveling with all their possessions, into the untamed territory that they would later call home.

Hastings

9780738519005

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Railroads were responsible for establishing many towns in Nebraska, including Hastings. The location of the city was determined by the junction of two railroads, the Burlington and Missouri River, and the St. Joseph and Denver City. Hastings was founded in 1872 and named after railroad construction engineer Major Delmonte Hastings.

Hastings: The Queen City of the Plains includes over 200 photographs from the Adams County Historical Society and the author, Monty McCord. You will see Heartwell Park, which was originally established as a private park by James B. Heartwell in 1886. Other images show the Fisher Rainbow Fountain, one of the most identifiable landmarks in the city, located in front of the utilities building. This book also showcases images of the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, which was built during World War II, and had a large impact on Hastings' development.

Mari Sandoz's Native Nebraska

9780738507842

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When the Mari Sandoz High Plains Center opens in Chadron, Nebraska in 2001, it will be one of three centers at which Nebraska honors its outstanding writers. Through the compilation of over 200 images in this new book, taken from historical collections and her own work, author and photographer LaVerne Harrell Clark contributes to that same purpose. In it, she recreates the frontier life of settlers and the neighboring Sioux and Cheyenne Indians of the sandhills region of northwestern Nebraska. Accompanied by in-depth captions detailing Mari Sandoz's life and works, these images illustrate how she came to hold an outstanding place as an American writer until her death in 1966. Born in 1896, in the "free-land" region of the Nebraska Panhandle, Sandoz was greatly influenced in her writing by the people who called at her homestead. Her acquaintances included Bad Arm, a Sioux Indian who fought at the Little Bighorn and was present at Wounded Knee, "Old Cheyenne Woman," a survivor of both the Oklahoma and Fort Robinson conflicts, and William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the legend of the Old West.

Stanton County

9780738561271

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The boldest and bravest of pioneers headed west, by covered wagon and on foot, to carve out new lives from verdant prairie sod, near the riverbanks in the beautiful Elkhorn Valley. French fur trappers called the river Corne de Cerf, French for the "horn of the elk," due to the river and its tributaries resembling the antlers of a stag. It then became known as the Elkhorn River. Catfish, bullheads, perch, and bass provided a welcomed change in sparse diets. Here settlers established churches, schools, and towns in a raw wilderness where Ponca, Omaha, Sioux, and Pawnee tribes lived. The prairie grasses fed herds of buffalo, elk, deer, and bighorn sheep. Coyotes, foxes, and wolves roamed in abundance. This land was named Stanton County in honor of Edward M. Stanton, Abraham Lincoln's ex-secretary of war. Germans, Scandinavians, Bohemians, and Canadians settled in the picturesque river valley and were joined by settlers from Wisconsin and Virginia, as well as the Hoosiers from Indiana.

Kearney's World Theatre

9780738583259

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The World Theatre in Kearney, Nebraska, opened in 1927 and was welcomed by an excited public. Much more than just a movie house, it soon proved to be a social center, where people of all professions, ages, and income levels would frequently gather, because it was modern and new and there were considered few equally attractive alternatives. Some went because it was a sanctuary or where they earned a living, while others nurtured the seeds of attachments there or sought out temporary distractions such as bits of humor, drama, mystery, or adventure. For still more, it was an important venue for staying informed or even escaping the heat of the day. Slowly over time, the entertainment and economic landscapes in the country changed, affecting The World's profitability as well as others like it.

Chadron

9780738532806

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Over 150 years ago, the area now known as Chadron was vast, open grassland. Nearby water sources, Chartran Creek and Bordeaux Creek, were named for the French fur traders whose main customers were nomadic tribes the French called the Sioux. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, the area quickly changed. The military outposts Fort Robinson and Camp Sheridan were established to control Indian Agencies for Red Cloud's and Spotted Tail's bands. Cattle replaced buffalo on the rich grasslands. The railroad pushed its way west, and the rest, as they say, is history.